Washington:South Korea's ambassador to the United States, Kang Kyung-wha, has announced progress in enhancing intelligence cooperation between Seoul and Washington, amid concerns about potential friction between the two allies.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Ambassador Kang made these remarks during a parliamentary audit at the South Korean Embassy in Washington. She responded to inquiries regarding the state of bilateral intelligence cooperation, acknowledging that agencies from both countries have communicated effectively and made strides in cooperation.
Speculation about friction emerged after South Korea's National Intelligence Service was reportedly excluded from a June trilateral meeting with Japan and the U.S. on North Korean cyber threats, allegedly at Washington's request. The tension was further fueled by the public disclosure by Seoul's Unification Minister Chung Dong-young of a North Korean uranium enrichment facility.
Ambassador Kang stated she was unaware of any complaints from the U.S. against South Korean officials, emphasizing that while consultations on intelligence issues have occurred, no individual complaints have been raised. She also mentioned having relayed Minister Chung's explanations to U.S. officials following his comments on North Korea's nuclear facility.
Kang noted existing limitations in high-level communication with the White House and acknowledged the ongoing consultations between Seoul and Washington concerning a potential North Korea-U.S. summit, though she indicated no concrete progress has been made in this regard.